Method and apparatus for producing flexible fiber optical light conductors

ABSTRACT

A stepwise advancing conveyor moves parallel fiber optical ribbons successively sidewise into endwise alignment with a ferrule attaching unit which during short periods of temporary standstill of the conveyor attaches a ferrule to the free end of each successive ribbon. Subsequent advance movement of the conveyor aligns the ribbon and attached ferrule with a cutting unit which trims the ferrule and ribbon end therein so as to provide the ribbon with a plane, light admitting and emitting end face.

United States rawlu 1 Gudmestad QUBSWUTE For? MISSING XR [45] Feb. 5, 1974 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING FLEXIBLE FIBER OPTICAL LIGHT CONDUCTORS [75] Inventor: Ragnar Gudmestad, West Allis, Wis.

[73] Assignee: Artos Engineering Company, New

Berlin, Wis.

[22] Filed: Jan. 24, 1973 [2l] Appl. No.: 326,380

52] us. Cl. 29/203 0, 29/630 A 51 Int. Cl non 43/04, n01r 9/00 [58] FieldofSearch...29/203 D, 203 DT, 203 DTS,

[56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 2,683,924 7/1954 Schryver 29/203 D 2,768,425 10/1956 Andren 29/630 A 3,267,556 8/1966 Scharf 29/203 D 3,456,324 7/1969 Hahn cl 8]. 3,61 1,544 l0/l97l Frcls ct a] 3,701,301 l0/l972 Gudmestad 83/!51 Primary ExaminerThomas H. Eager Attorney, Agent, or FirmJames E. Nilles 5 7] ABSTRACT A stepwise advancing conveyor moves parallel fiber optical ribbons successively sidewise into endwise alignment with a ferrule attaching, unit which during short periods of temporary standstill of the conveyor attaches a ferrule to the free end of each successive ribbon. Subsequent advance movement of the conveyor aligns the ribbon and attached ferrule with a cutting unit which trims the ferrule and ribbon end therein so as to provide the ribbon with a plane, light admitting and emitting end face.

21 Claims, 57 Drawing Figures 1 EARCH ROOM 'PATENTEUFEB 5 I974 SHEET 010? 27 PATENTEUFEB 5 1974 sun] 02 0F 7 N QE PATENTEDFEB seam 3.789.485

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EEEE PATENTEU E 5 9 's'uw DSGF 27 PATENTEDFEB 519?- SHEEI 100F27 PAIENIEDFEB 51w 3.789.485 SHEET 120! 27 PATENTEUFEB s 1974 SHEET lSUF 27 PAIENTED LB 5 I874 SHEH 170? 27 PATENTEDFEB s 1914 SHEET 180F 27 

1. The method of preparing a length of fiber optical ribbon for endwise light admission and emission, comprising, the steps of clamping said ribbon at a predetermined distance from one of its ends in an end-wise and laterally fixed position; clenching said ribbon at said one end thereof so as to gather its fibers into a light admitting and emitting cylindrical portion; pushing a plastic ferrule sleeve and a surrounding metallic ferrule sleeve over said cylindrical ribbon portion and thereby threading said clenched end of said ribbon through said plastic and metallic ferrule sleeves; crimping said metallic ferrule sleeve radially inward upon said plastic ferrule sleeve and thereby securing the latter to said cylindrical ribbon portion; and removing said ribbon from said fixed position.
 2. The method set forth in claim 1 and further comprising the step of trimming the outer end of said plastic sleeve and cylindrical ribbon portion therein so as to provide said cylindrical ribbon portion with a plane, light admitting and emitting end face.
 3. An apparatus for producing fiber optical light conductors comprising a stationary frame assembly, a pair of spaced apart conveyor means operable to move parallel, laterally spaced fiber optical ribbons sidewise step-by-step along said frame assembly, a ferrule attaching unit mounted on said frame assembly laterally of said conveyor means in cooperable relation thereto so as to produce ribbon and attached ferrule assemblies during periods of temporary standstill of said conveyor means; and a ferrule trimming unit spaced from said ferrule attaching unit in the direction of sidewise movement of said ribbons and mounted on said frame assembly in cooperative relation to said conveyor means so as to slice end portions from said ribbon and attached ferrule assemblies during said periods of temporary standstill of said conveyors means, and thereby provide each of said fiber optical ribbons with a plane light admitting and emitting end face.
 4. An apparatus for producing fiber optical light conductors comprising a frame assembly; a pair of parallel, relatively spaced conveyors operable to support fiber optical ribbons extending therebetween in Laterally spaced relation to each other and to advance said ribbons sidewise step-by-step along said frame; a pair of ferrule attaching units mounted on said frame assembly in laterally confronting relation, respectively, to said conveyors and in cooperable relation thereto so as to produce ribbon and attached ferrule assemblies having a ferrule at each end during periods of temporary standstill of said conveyors; and a pair of ferrule trimming units spaced from said ferrule attaching units in the direction of sidewise movement of said ribbons and mounted on said frame assembly in cooperative relation, respectively, to said conveyors so as to slice opposite end portions from said ribbon and attached ferrule assemblies during said periods of temporary standstill of said conveyors and thereby provide each of said fiber optical ribbons at both ends with a plane light admitting and emitting end face.
 5. An apparatus for attaching ferrules to fiber optical ribbons comprising, a support; a ribbon holding unit mounted on said support for adjustment to ribbon engaging and releasing positions; a tool slide mounted on said support for reciprocating movement toward and away from said ribbon holding unit; actuating means operable to adjust said tool slide to projected and retracted positions relative to said ribbon holding unit; ferrule attaching means mounted on said tool slide and operable upon adjustment of the latter to said projected position to attach a ferrule to the end of a fiber optical ribbon held by said holding unit; and a ferrule feeding system mounted on said tool slide for supplying ferrules successively to said ferrule attaching means.
 6. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein said ribbon holding unit comprises a clamp assembly mounted on said support for back and forth adjustment between a lowered ribbon releasing position and a raised ribbon holding position.
 7. An apparatus as set forth in claim 6 and further comprising actuating means for said clamp assembly mounted on said tool slide and operatively interrelated with said tool slide actuating means so as to maintain said clamp assembly in said raised, ribbon holding position while said tool slide is advanced toward its projected position.
 8. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 and further comprising ribbon clenching means mounted on said tool slide between said ribbon holding unit and said ferrule attaching means for gathering the fibers of said ribbon at the end thereof next to said ferrule attaching means into a substantially cylindrical body by movement of said tool slide to its projected position.
 9. An apparatus as set forth in claim 8, wherein said ribbon clenching means comprise a pair of arms mounted on said tool slide for swinging movement into and out of a ribbon clenching position, and actuating means for said ribbon clenching arms operatively interrelated with said tool slide actuating means so as to swing said clenching arms into said ribbon clenching position while said tool slide is in its retracted position, and so as to maintain said clenching arms in said clenching position while said tool slide is advanced toward said projected position.
 10. An apparatus for attaching ferrules to fiber optical ribbons comprising, a support; a clamp assembly mounted on said support for back and forth adjustment between a lowered ribbon releasing position and a raised ribbon holding position; a tool slide mounted on said support for reciprocating movement toward and away from said clamp assembly; actuating means operable to adjust said tool slide to projected and retracted positions relative to said clamp assembly; a pair of ribbon clenching arms mounted on said tool slide for swinging movement into and out of a ribbon clenching position; actuating means for said clamp assembly and for said clenching arms operatively interrelated with said tool slide actuating means so as to maintain said clamp assembly in its lowered ribbon releasing position and said clenching arms out of their ribbon clenching position while said tool slide is in its retracted position, and so as to maintain said clamp assembly in its raised ribbon holding position and said clenching arms in their ribbon clenching position while said tool slide is advanced toward said projected position, and ferrule attaching means mounted on said tool slide and operable upon adjustment of the latter to said projected position to attach a ferrule to a fiber optical ribbon held by said clamp assembly and clenched by said clenching arms.
 11. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said ferrule attaching means comprise a collet head having an axially slotted, radially contractable and expandible ferrule crimping collet and a reciprocable wedge collar for contracting and expanding said collet; and actuating means for said wedge collar operatively interrelated with said tool slide actuating means so as to contract and expand said collet after said tool slide has been moved from its retracted to its projected position.
 12. An apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein said collet head is slideably mounted on said tool slide for reciprocating movement between projected and retracted positions relative thereto, and shift means for said collet head operatively associated with said wedge collar actuating means.
 13. An apparatus as set forth in claim 12 and further comprising means for admitting air pressure to said ferrule crimping collet in a ferrule expelling direction while said tool slide is moving toward its retracted position.
 14. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said ferrule feeding system comprises a ferrule dispensing mechanism on said tool slide; a ferrule transfer slide having ferrule gripping means; guide means mounting said transfer slide on said tool slide for back and forth movement so as to align said gripping means alternately with said dispensing mechanism and said ferrule attaching means; and actuating means for said transfer slide operatively interrelated with said tool slide actuating means so that said ferrule gripping means will be aligned with said ferrule attaching means while said tool slide is in its projected position, and so that said ferrule gripping means will be recipocated between said dispensing mechanism and said ferrule attaching means while said tool slide is in its retracted position.
 15. An apparatus as set forth in claim 14 wherein said ferrule dispensing mechanism comprises a ferrule guide passage, a gate element spring biased transversely of said guide passage into a ferrule feed blocking position, and means operable by said transfer slide to adjust said gate element from said ferrule feed blocking to a ferrule feed establishing position, and vice versa.
 16. A ferrule trimming apparatus comprising a frame having an upstanding end plate and a ferrule seating notch therein; ferrule positioning means operatively mounted on said frame for seating a ferrule in said notch and releasably retaining it therein in a laterally and axially fixed position; a cutting element; means mounting said cutting element on said frame for back and forth movement into and out of radial cutting relation to a ferrule portion projecting axially from said notch; and actuating means for said cutting element operatively interrelated with said ferrule positioning means so that cutting relation will be disestablished while said ferrule positioning means are in ferrule releasing condition, and so that said cutting relation will be established while said ferrule positioning means are in ferrule retaining condition.
 17. A ferrule trimming apparatus as set forth in claim 16 wherein said ferrule positioning means comprise a first lever having a ferrule engaging end portion; pivot means mounting said first lever on said frame for swinging movement of said end portion into and out of radial engagement with a ferrule seated in said notch; a second lever mounted on said frame laterally of said end plate on a pivot axis extending transversely of said plate; a resilient arm on said second lever movable into and out of axial engagement with said ferrule; and actuating means for said levers successively operable to first bring said end portion of said first lever and then said resilient arm of said second lever into radial and axial engagement, respectively, with a ferrule in said notch.
 18. A ferrule trimming apparatus as set forth in claim 16, wherein said cutting element comprises a circular disc having a peripheral cutting edge, and wherein said mounting means for said cutting element comprise a shaft rotatably mounted on said frame and having an eccentric journal; and bearing means rotatably mounting said disc on said journal.
 19. A ferrule trimming apparatus as set forth in claim 18 and further comprising power transmitting means for rotating said disc mounting shaft including a constantly rotating drive element and a one-revolution clutch operable to connect said shaft with and disconnect it from said drive element.
 20. A ferrule trimming apparatus as set forth in claim 18 and further comprising a rotary power source; a speed reducing power transmitting mechanism operatively interposed between said power source and said disc mounting shaft; and another power transmitting mechanism operatively interposed between said power source and said cutting disc; said speed reducing power transmitting mechanism including a constantly rotating drive element and a one-revolution clutch operatively interposed between said drive element and said shaft.
 21. A ferrule trimming apparatus as set forth in claim 20 wherein said power transmitting mechanism between said power source and said cutting disc comprises a driving pulley on said power source, a driven pulley concentric with said cutting disc, and an elastic drive belt trained around said pulleys. 